Curling up on the couch with a movie and bowl of popcorn is fun, we admit. However, winter-induced laziness is no excuse for lying about the house when you could be doing something productive, or better yet – active. December marks the end of fall, though not the end of the weight-gain season. Beware of newly introduced temptations like candy-canes and warm, heavy meals, as they are known to be repeat offenders when it comes to contributing to diet derailment. The best way to combat such evils is to keep yourself preoccupied, and what better way to replace holiday temptations than with holiday activities?

Here are 5 Holiday-Related alternatives to watching “Elf” for the 75th time:

Visit a Pumpkin Patch/Tree Farm: Pumpkin patches and tree farms are classic holiday destinations the whole family can involve themselves in. Walking around and scouring the terrain for the ‘perfect’ pumpkin or tree to take home is bound to be exhaustive, calorie-burning work. The fun doesn’t stop there, though, because once you get home it is prime time to decorate your findings, which will keep you on your feet even longer, burning more calories and contributing to your weight loss success.

Ice Skating: Find joy in slipping and sliding across the rink with friends or family, especially at whimsical seasonal outdoor skating rinks. Though the invention of the air conditioner has allowed for indoor facilities that function year-round, ice-skating is a fun way to get into the groove of the winter season. Plus, Ice Skating (depending on your height and weight) can burn around 250 calories in 30 minutes – more if you decide to become a ‘skating pro’ and skate laps around your peers.

Volunteer: Give the gift of giving this holiday season by involving yourself with a nonprofit of your choice. Especially around this time of year, nonprofit organizations are welcoming of volunteers and donators alike to perform various tasks and collect copious amounts of canned goods, clothing, donations, and more. Take a few hours out of your week and devote yourself to a greater good; not only will you be active and on your feet, you’ll be giving back to the community, too. There are few greater feelings than the feeling of knowing you’ve done something to make someone else’s life better.

Attend a Holiday Festival or Parade: Light parades, and games and music, oh my! Holiday festivals and parades are specifically designed to get you in a positive holiday spirit, making the required walking around well worth it. If it’s a really good parade, maybe you’ll even find yourself burning more calories from jumping up and down with excitement.

Join a Caroling Group: Caroling can be considered cliché holiday event, but it is fun nonetheless. Grab a group of your friends and form a caroling group in which you plan to sing your favorite holiday tunes or songs – you have the power to make it your own. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to be a good singer to go caroling, just dress up and have fun with it, that’s what life is all about! The opportunity doesn’t present itself often, so take advantage of it when the time does come. Fun times are difficult to regret, so get out there and make the best of your holiday season.

Happy Holidays!

*Individual results may vary. Seek medical advice before starting any service including a weight loss program or med spa treatment. Contact us to make sure this is the right solution for you.

The holiday season means temptation, galore! Don’t sulk just yet, the key to avoiding weight gain during the holiday season doesn’t have to mean giving up your favorite holiday menu items entirely.

Before you trash your entire pantry, consider your options when it comes to the dinner table. Your guilty pleasures don’t have to be guilty after all with these easy swaps:

1. Replace Green Bean Casserole for Fresh Green Beans
Swap that iconic Green Bean Casserole for fresh green beans at your dinner table. While traditional Green Bean Casserole does feature the vegetable as a main ingredient, the dish does include additives such as sodium-filled cream of mushroom soup and fried onions that do more harm than good. Fresh green beans will add color to your plate as well as vivacity to your life, as they are a natural source of calcium, potassium, and various vitamins.

2. Avoid Eggnog and Enjoy RM3®-Approved Cider Instead
Every winter, eggnog re-debuts its self on grocery store shelves across the country, tempting everyone it comes into contact with. Its inherent mysteriousness never fails to convince people to stock their refrigerators with it, as it is seemingly only offered for a limited time (either that, or there is limited interest). For those who don’t know, eggnog typically consists of whipped egg, milk, cream, sugar, and spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg – a recipe with ingredients difficult to factor into a calorie budget. Apple Cider, on the other hand, is much lighter, both in consistency and in calories. In fact, Red Mountain offers an RM3®-approved recipe for Hot Apple Cider on its app which contains only 110 calories as opposed to eggnog’s 223. Toast to the holidays in a healthier way by making this simple swap.

3. Replace Store-Bought Dips for Homemade Ones
Homemade goods are almost always better than store-bought ones, as you know precisely what goes into them. Dips are no exception, especially creamy ones chocked full with calories and preservatives. If you must dip or dress your foods with something, try an RM3®-approved homemade recipe like Barbecue Sauce, Mustard, Ketchup, our Spicy Orange Sauce, or even salsa, all of which are available on the Red Mountain Weight Loss app.

4. Replace Mashed Potatoes for Mashed Cauliflower
Mashed potatoes are a simple, yet elegant dish difficult to surrender, especially when you’re cooking for a large group of people. Although a vegetable, potatoes have the ability to do more harm than good, as they are filled with starch and crawling with carbohydrates.

Cauliflower, in contrast, has high nutritional value. Cauliflower can be prepared in a way that mimics mashed potatoes, consistency and all, for a tasty, healthy alternative some may not even realize is any different.

5. Eat Fresh Fruit Instead of Cranberry Sauce (or RM3®-Approved Fruit Spreads)
Cranberry sauce is another deceiving dish, as it features healthy foods but hides caloric secrets, usually in the form of added sugar. Get your fruit fix by adorning your table with a plate of fresh berries, which can act as a healthy, easily attainable substitute for devious fruit sauces.

If you’re still unwilling to give up fruit spreads and sauces as a whole, consider Walden Farms fruit spreads, or, even more similar – their 0-calorie, 0-carb, 0-sugar cranberry sauce.

6. Avoid Chips and Go For Marinated Veggies
Chips, especially potato chips, combine carbohydrates, fat, sodium, and more into one collective, wicked place. Much of the temptation of chips comes from their easy accessibility, flavorful nature, large variety, and ability to be dipped. Because of these factors, chip bowls around the globe have become party staples and virtually unavoidable.

If you’re craving the crunchy satisfaction of a chip, try swapping it for a bowl of marinated veggies. Marinated vegetables have all of the same components of chips – easy accessibility, flavorful nature, flavor variety, and dipping ability – except they are low on sodium, carbs, and calories in general. Plus, they give that same satisfying crunching sensation we all love.

8. (If You Must) Substitute Pumpkin Pie instead of Pecan Pie
Though not approved on our weight loss programs, pies are commonly consumed as a cheat food, especially during the holiday season. If the decision to cheat must be made, we promote cheating the smart way. Not all pies are made equal, so take this into consideration when cutting yourself a slice. Of all pies, pumpkin (not fruit, as one may believe) is actually the healthier option, as it only has a bottom crust and pumpkin is high in nutrients, such as Vitamin A.

*Individual results may vary. Seek medical advice before starting any service including a weight loss program or med spa treatment. Contact us to make sure this is the right solution for you.

· Do you often wonder why you love sugary foods so much (i.e., cookies, cakes, chocolate, candy, soda, cereal, ice cream, lattes laden with syrups, etc.)
· Does sugar run your life more that you would like to admit?
· Does it concern or even scare you to feel so obsessive and compulsive about your desire for sugar?
· Have you ever stated, “Starting tomorrow, I am not going to have sugar anymore” only to cave in that afternoon or within a few days?

Below are 10 signs, which indicate you may be a sugar addict:

1. You make excuses for your consumption of sugar.
2. You lie about how much sugar you consume
3. You feel controlled by sugar
4. You get moody, irritable, frantic, and cranky if you do not have your regular “dose” of sugar
5. You often make special trips to the store to satisfy your sugar craving.
6. You frequently reward yourself with something sweet.
7. You may have a secret sugar stash, or when alone, you binge on sugary foods.
8. You have tried multiple times to stop eating sugar, and you just cannot stop.
9. You feel rage if someone ate your sugary treat without your permission.
10. You often experience sugar hangovers (i.e., headache, irritability, and depressed mood only relieved by something sweet).

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be a sugar addict. Some of you, up until now, may not have used the word addict to describe your attachment to sugar. Addiction is a powerful word. But, as most of you know, sugar is a powerful substance. In fact, research with animals suggests that sugar is more addictive than cocaine and heroine. Yes, you read that correctly… more addictive than cocaine and heroine. Thus, research states that if you consume high quantities of sugar for long periods of time, your brain is affected like that of a cocaine addict. This is because heroine, cocaine, and sugar cue the same circuitry in the brain. Furthermore, researchers also found that sugar withdrawal is very similar to heroin withdrawal, with similar changes in brain chemicals and behavior. Withdrawal from sugar includes irritability, anxiety, and depression, which is followed by cravings and only relieved by consuming additional sugar.

So, after reading this, you may be thinking is there any hope? The answer is YES! Below are 5 helpful tips to break free from your sugar addiction:

1. Give yourself non-sugary rewards
As previously mentioned, current research suggests consuming a significant amount of sugar enhances the reward center in the brain, thus making it grueling to break your sugar addiction. This is extremely important because once you remove sugar from your diet you will need to find non-sugary rewards that also enhance the reward center in the brain. Here are some healthier rewards that have helped many:

· Guilt-free you time! Begin by giving yourself at least 30 minutes to engage in any activity you want (i.e., watch mindless television, play a computer game, sleep, read a magazine, etc.)
· Calling a friend
· Listening to your favorite music
· Playing or Cuddling with your pet(s)
· Exercising
· Soaking in a hot bubble bath
· Going out to meet a friend (maybe seeing a funny movie)
· A massage at a spa
· Doing something new

2) Naturally boost your dopamine with these healthy foods

Below is a list of foods, drinks, and spices known to increase dopamine:

Also, if you must satisfy your sugar craving with a sweet treat, reach for berries instead. Berries have a low glycemic index, which means they produce very little sugar in your body. Most importantly, they will not reinforce your sugar addiction, and they are allowed on RM3®!!!

3) Don’t replace one addictive behavior for another
It is all too easy to replace one addiction for another. Unfortunately, this happens way too often when people attempt to reduce or eliminate sugar. Please be careful about looking for unhealthy behaviors that give you the same temporary euphoric feeling that sugar does. Try to avoid alcohol or shopping, especially if spending can be problematic for you. Try using one of the behaviors listed above. Keep trying new healthier behaviors until you find one that works for you!

4) Be aware of the “I’ll only have one” (denial) game
If you eliminate sugar from your diet, after about 3-5 days, you will find your sugar cravings nearly disappear and you will feel surprisingly satisfied without sugar. Until… one day, you arrive at an event that has an irresistible selection of decadent desserts, so you tell yourself you will only have one. At this point, you may have been able to stop at one. However, the next day, your body is craving sugar again, so you indulge again “just this once.” But… the next day it happens again, and then again, and so on… back to square one, until your pants don’t fit again and you feel depressed and defeated. Does this pattern sound familiar? If you are a true sugar addict, you may not be able to just have one. Try to be honest with yourself so you don’t sign up for the “I’ll only have one” (denial) game.

5) Do NOT have it in your home!
This is a very simple rule and it really works. If you don’t have it available you can’t eat it! Try to resist running to the store to purchase whatever you were craving. Research suggests a craving only lasts 30 minutes. Before you choose to make a run to the grocery store or bakery, try distracting for 30 minutes. Chances are you will forget about the sweet treat and you will have tolerated your craving. That reward feels better than any sugary treat!!

Most importantly, please remember that breaking your addiction to sugar takes time and patience. If you fall off the wagon yet again, try to avoid beating yourself up. Just talk yourself to success and start the process over again. Feel free to set up an appointment with me so that I can begin to help you break free from your sugar addiction.
Don’t try harder, try different!

“Every year, starting with Halloween, I witness many of you step on the scale in frustration as it inches up 2-3 lbs, all because you fell prey to a plastic orange pumpkin filled with candy. Halloween marks the beginning of the holiday weight gain cycle, which continues through Thanksgiving and Christmas and can result in an average holiday weight gain of 7–12 pounds! Although candy is in no shortage the other 364 days of the year, binging on “fun-sized” sweets the night of October 31st has proven to be a yearly ritual for people everywhere, dieters or not.” – Dr. Suzanne Bentz D.O., Owner & Medical Director of Red Mountain Weight Loss®

While excusing yourself from the sugar celebration at Halloween may not be fun, neither is coping with a sugar hangover and the accompanied weight gain. In fact, the aftermath of your sugar binge is most likely scarier than the Halloween costumes!

Thankfully, there are ways to keep your hands out of the orange pumpkin so you can avoid packing on extra pounds. Below are some helpful tips that can help you to avoid the temptation of Halloween candy and keep your Halloween healthy!

1. First things first, always purchase candy you do not like. Do NOT buy your favorite candy. This way you will not be tempted to dig in.

2. Do NOT buy any candy until the very last minute. There will be little time to indulge and then you can hand them out quickly! Get rid of all of the remaining candy! Do NOT keep it in your house.

3. If you are a skilled mindful eater (which most of us are not) savor ONE piece of your favorite candy per day. Decide ahead of time what time of day you most crave the sweet treat and save your treat for that time. Then, slowly savor and experience it.

Remember, it is ok to indulge your sweet tooth once in a while, as deprivation is not the solution. Learning mindful eating behaviors is the secret and it takes some practice. However, if you know yourself, and you know you are unable to just stop at one, do not try this exercise yet as it may trigger you to fall off of the wagon. In time, and with practice, you will learn to just have one.

7. Be honest. If you notice you are bargaining with yourself (i.e., I’ll eat the candy and forgo dinner), or if you start telling yourself that you will eat candy today and start eating healthy again tomorrow, you are playing with fire. “Tomorrow” rarely happens and you begin your downward holiday season spiral.

8. Save your empty candy wrappers and count them. Yes… I said count them! It is so easy to go into denial and binge on “fun-size” candy bars. If you save the wrappers, it will keep you out of denial and highly aware of how many you consumed.

9. Manage your hunger by continuing to follow your meal plan. Your pre-planned meals will keep you feeling satisfied and make you less likely to raid the candy bowl.

10. Sip on water or a low calorie beverage. Keep your hands and mouth busy by drinking water or tea.

Here are some scary facts about popular October treats:

*Individual results may vary. Seek medical advice before starting any service including a weight loss program or med spa treatment. Contact us to make sure this is the right solution for you.

Family game nights, banishment of the television set, limited electronic access, and intense scheduling are all things people think they need to do to build and nurture a close-knit family structure, but what if I told you that these things were not the case?

What if I told you that the family dynamic you want is more easily attainable and administrable than any of these things? I’m talking about family time around the dinner table. Yes, the kind where everyone sits around the table to enjoy a meal at the conclusion of each day. The kind where everyone is present; where everyone can be seen and heard all at the same time. This isn’t a fictitious scenario created by the TV & Film industry, I’m talking about families just like yours and mine opting out of a meal in front of the television or without their phone in their hand to enjoy quality time with one another.

Family dinners are worth so much more than what people tend to assume. Gone are the days that communal dinners were for convenience. They bring families closer together, encouraging conversation, communication, and building trust. Family is the sacred center of life for families of all different races, backgrounds, and religions across the globe, a true testament to how impactful our relatives really are. You don’t get to choose your family, but you do get to choose your relationship with them, and most everyone would agree that a positive one is better than a negative one. Family dinners can be a great catalyst to build strong family bonds.

The dinner table was not only a place to eat, but a place to reflect upon everyone’s daily lives, voice opinions in a safe environment, and to enjoy the company of everyone around the table.

Between freeway traffic and driving the kids to practice, people in this day in age seem to be finding themselves in a time crunch more often than not. It is tempting at times to give in to the convenience of drive-thrus and dollar menus, however, be forewarned: Eating out, and even eating alone, has the potential to hinder your weight loss journey tremendously.

There is irrefutable evidence that family dinners reap mammoth physical and psychological benefits for all parties involved, so much so that it may be hard to resisthaving family dinners after finding out! It is important to remind yourself that your journey at Red Mountain Weight Loss is not only concerning weight, but lifestyle as well.

The biggest benefit to an individual trying to lose weight is that home-cooked meals have the power of portion control and therefore caloric intake. Many people struggle with the obligation to stuff themselves by finishing off that oversized burger or munching on complimentary chips and side of fries, even after hunger has been relieved, just because they don’t want food to go to waste.

Self-serving meals has the potential to decrease caloric intake by up to 60%, as restaurants tend to supersize meal portions, and in turn waistlines as well. Meal preparation is crucial to stay on track with your weight loss goals. It is rare that restaurants will list every ingredient used in a single dish on the menu, so the healthiest (and safest) route to take is to dine in the comfort of your own home with the company of family, who have the opportunity to act as positive reinforcement as well as conversational partners.

Having others present to hold you accountable is proven to keep individuals engaged and responsible in their choices as they pertain to goals. Involving a third party will incentivize weight loss or maintenance, as there is someone other than yourself that you have the potential to impress with regular updates. Think of yourself as a role model for the rest of the family – it would be hypocritical to endorse healthy living without being able to set a good example. Showcasing healthy food options and making balanced meal choices will get the whole family living the Red Mountain Way in no time.

The benefits of family meals do not stop at individual health. Studies show that children who take part in family dinners are far less likely to engage in truant behavior, and are 40% more likely to receive A’s in school than their peers who dine solo. Along similar lines, research has also shown that dinnertime conversation is more beneficial than reading young children books, boosting their knowledge of “rare words” by 86%. Also, it is no surprise that families that engage in families dinner reported that they felt family dinners were beneficial to family dynamic.

With big brands dishing massive budgets towards marketing and advertising our kids are all at risk for trading in their healthy breakfast & lunches for the convenience of the “dollar menu.” Marketing tactics of these mega companies promote that the deal is worth the caloric intake with their irresistible imagery and celebrity endorsement. The taglines and bright logos are well thought through plans of attack by branding professionals to take over your subconscious to buy that specific meal because it’s “Mmm Mmm Good” or because it’s in the hands of a Kardashian sister. Implementing a dedicated safe place in your home, such as the dinner table, will set a standard for your children and your children’s children that healthy living is important.

If anything, family dinner is a great opportunity to get to know everyone just a little bit better. Sometimes, we forget that there are people other than ourselves, and at the table is a great opportunity to wind down and let out frustrations or share accomplishments and milestones. It is important to remind ourselves that the home is not just a place to sleep at night, but a place to nurture relationships among one another. Consider making it one of your goals to hold healthy family dinners on a more regular basis, even if you do it already. There really is no downside!

*Individual results may vary. Seek medical advice before starting any service including a weight loss program or med spa treatment. Contact us to make sure this is the right solution for you.

Have you ever noticed that there is usually one person in every crowd who tries to destroy your diet? It almost seems as if every time you are on track, they are there right there offering you a doughnut, some chips, pizza, or even an extra serving of an unhealthy food they know you are avoiding? These people are known as “food pushers” and are attempting assisted sabotage.

Some examples of assisted sabotage:
· As you are losing weight, out of nowhere, a co-worker who knows you are avoiding sweets offers you a doughnut.
· A friend, who knows you are watching your weight, begs you to share a pizza or a slice of cake.
· While sitting on the couch watching television, your husband who is wanting you to lose weight, rips open a bag of chips in front of you and asks, “want some?”

What ever happened to getting support? Doesn’t it seem as if your friends, coworkers, and/or loved ones are trying to make you eat and stay overweight? You maybe asking “WHY?”

Reasons for Assisted Sabotage
There are several reasons why your “so-called” helpers are attempting to sabotage your progress. The most common reason I hear is they feel jealous and guilty. You are losing weight and getting in shape and they are not. Tempting you with beckoning foods to “fall off the wagon” means you are normal again and they can feel comfortable and guard the “status quo.”

Another reason may be because they miss the old you. Co-workers miss the baked goods you used to bring to work or the “happy hours” you used to previously attend. Or, your spouse or significant other may miss eating out with you or sharing desserts. When you are living a healthy lifestyle you change (for the better), therefore, your relationships may change and your helpers begin to miss the old you.

Moreover, sometimes the people in our lives associate food with love. As such, if you are no longer eating what loved ones have prepared, they may feel as if you do not love as much or they are not as important to you.

Less frequently, a reason for assisted sabotage may be the saboteur really doesn’t know what they are doing. Maybe they have never had a weight problem and they think it is ridiculous for you to be concerned about what you eat. Maybe your helpers just aren’t thinking and do not know how to give support?
Regardless of the reasons, you want people in your life to support and encourage you. Learn how to identify an assisted saboteur and begin to defend against diet saboteurs.

Signs of Assisted Sabotage

Learn how to identify when others are attempting to prevent you from your weight loss goals. Below are a few signs that can indicate assisted sabotage:

· Making remarks like:
o “You have to try this”
o “One bite won’t hurt.”
o “You look too skinny.”
o “Everyone deserves to spurge once in a while.”
o “It’s you birthday, you have to have some cake.”
o “There is one cookie left, do you want it?”
o “You are not as funny since you have lost weight!”
o “We are on vacation, have some!”
o “What, my lasagna is not good enough for you anymore?”
· Repeatedly giving you gifts of chocolate, candy, or other fat laden foods.
· Insisting on having “their foods” around to include chips, sweets, and high caloric foods.
· Encouraging you to go back to old eating patterns so you may experience “togetherness.”
· Becoming jealous when your new body shape gets attention

Defend Yourself Against Assisted Sabotage

Before you get angry and defensive, try to give saboteurs the benefit of the doubt. Maybe they truly don’t know what they are doing.

However, when it is obvious that someone is getting in the way of your success, use these techniques to prepare for the pushers!

· Just say NO!

For some, this may be the hardest thing to do. I want to let you know it is ok for you to just say “No, thank you!” You do not have to say anything else. In fact, you do not owe them an explanation. They may continue to pressure you, so continue to say, “no, thank you” repeatedly until they get the message.

If you typically feel guilty after saying no to someone, you most likely suffer from the “disease to please.” The “disease to please” may be making you overweight; So, I am giving you permission to throw out your guilt! You have the right to say no!

· Give an Explanation

If just saying, “No, thank you” is too difficult, try giving an honest explanation as to why you are choosing to avoid what they are offering. Some examples include:

o “Thank you for offering me__________. I would really like to eat that, but I’m following my meal plan and I am feeling great. Improving my health is important to me because want to be healthier not only for me but for my family, as well.”

o “No thank you. My doctor said I must lose weight.”

o “No, thank you. I have already eaten.”

o “Not right now. I will be eating shortly and I do not want to spoil my appetite.”

o “Not just yet, I am going to wait for a little while.”

· Take it and leave it

Another option is to take the food and say thank you… BUT, wrap it up and either give it away or throw it out!

I know the thought of wasting food is hard for many of you. Especially if you were taught that there were starving children in some far away country. Or, maybe some of you were forced to be members of the clean your plate club. Nevertheless, you do not have to follow these rules any longer. In fact, these rules may be the very reason you are overweight!

If these methods do not work, do your best to ignore the diet saboteur’s comments. Or, if possible, avoid these saboteurs until you feel more secure and confident in your ability to handle them.

“Whether you are suffering from self-sabotage or assisted sabotage, the end result is just the same…diet destruction, disappointment, regret, and unfulfilled expectations. Make this time different and overcome sabotage once and for all! I always say, don’t try harder, try different. Now is the time to stop making excuses and take personal responsibility for your weight loss. Stay in charge of your own behavior and become your biggest ally. You can do it and we are here to help you throughout your journey!” – Dr. Suzanne Bentz, D.O., Owner & Medical Director of Red Mountain Weight Loss®

*Individual results may vary. Seek medical advice before starting any service including a weight loss program or med spa treatment. Contact us to make sure this is the right solution for you.

3 Steps to Stop Self-Sabotage
This is a simple and extremely effective process to help you stop self-sabotage.

1. Identify the self-sabotaging thoughts and behaviors

In order to create change, you will first need to become aware of what it is that is preventing you from moving forward and attaining your desired weight loss goals. Do you have cruel and punitive self-talk? Are you aware that you are emotionally eating? Are you using food to tolerate the hassles of daily life? Do you suffer from low self-esteem, and/or currently hold the belief that you are going to fail again? Are you using food as a reward or as a way to celebrate? It is important to become aware of your daily thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and their subsequent consequences. Listen to what you say to yourself about losing weight. Make a list of all of your thoughts and behaviors that are currently sabotaging your weight loss.

2. Replace it with new positive thoughts and/or a new way of responding

Once you have identified the thoughts and behaviors that are in your way, you can now make the necessary changes to help you succeed. If your negative thoughts are in your way, it is time to create more positive ones. Stop being your own worst enemy and become your own cheerleader. Look for opportunities to create alternative positive messages. For example, when hear yourself say, “I can’t do this” replace it with “I will find a way.” If you say, “I am going to fail again” replace it with “this time is different.” Notice how your new healthier self-talk makes you to feel better and more motived, which propels you to make healthier choices. Repeat these positive self talk message often. Within time, you will start to believe them and you will see the results you desire!

Self-Talk Yourself to Success!
· I am capable of change!
· I can lose weight and keep it off!
· I can tolerate my feelings without relying on food!
· I can learn to love healthy foods!
· I am worth it!
· I deserve to feel good and be healthy!
· This time is different!

If it is your behavior that you need to focus on, you need to replace it with more effective ways of responding that will help you achieve your weight loss goals.

To begin, ask yourself these questions:
· How could I respond in a more appropriate and effective manner that would help me achieve my weight loss goals?
· What are some reasons for making this change?
· Why is this important to me?
· What are the long-term benefits of transforming how I respond in this situation?
· What are the advantages of practicing this new behavior?

3. Practice your new thoughts and behaviors

Once you have outlined your new thoughts and behaviors, it is now time to implement and practice them. Research suggests you can change almost anything (including thoughts and behaviors) in 21-66 days. So start practicing NOW!

Take time at the end of each day to reflect on how you responded to events and circumstances. Learn from your mistakes, as mistakes are excellent opportunities to learn about yourself. If possible, don’t beat yourself up when you make a mistake. Try to say something nice to yourself and learn from each experience. Continue to adjust how you may respond differently in the future.

*Individual results may vary. Seek medical advice before starting any service including a weight loss program or med spa treatment. Contact us to make sure this is the right solution for you.

Have you ever gotten to a point in your weight loss journey when things are proceeding nicely, you have lost a significant amount of weight and are so close to attaining your ideal goal weight, and then “something” happens… you revert back your old eating habits. You begin to say things like, “I am good during the day, but at night I start grazing and picking, and then tell myself I will start again tomorrow.” Or, “I had a bad eating day, might as well quit.” For some, it may be a quick return to old eating behaviors, for others, it is a slow gradual reoccurrence. Then you feel so disappointed and frustrated regarding your inability to lose the weight yet again, so you decide to give up.

What about these scenarios… as your diet is going great and you are losing weight, instead of giving you flowers for your anniversary (or any other holiday), your significant other gives you a box of your favorite chocolates! Or, you have friends, coworkers, family members, etc. tempting you with food choices they know you are avoiding, while saying remarks like, “Just one bite won’t hurt you” or “You have come so far, you deserve to have just one!” “I made this, you have to try it.” or ”It is my birthday, you have to have cake!”

Does this sound familiar? If so, you are not alone. Thousands of dieters suffer from similar patterns. In my experience, I often have patients ask, “Why does this keep happening? Why can’t I just lose the weight and keep it off?” Or, “It is as if I have two minds…one that wants to lose weight, and one that won’t let me.”

I also frequently hear, “Why can’t my spouse (significant other, friend, family member, etc.) support my weight loss efforts?” “It almost seems as if people are trying to make me eat and stay fat!”

So, why are you your own worst enemy? Why do you or other’s stand in the way of your weight loss goals?

Most likely, the answer is… drum roll please…The SABOTAGE Syndrome.

What is the Sabotage Syndrome?

We use the word sabotage all of the time, but do you really know what it means? By definition, sabotage means to destroy. Therefore, when it comes to weight loss, the sabotage syndrome is any deliberate or unconscious thought, feeling, or behavior that attempts to destroy your ability to achieve your weight loss goals, which happens time and time again with each weight loss (or maintenance) attempt. There are two common forms of sabotage in weight loss: self-sabotage and assisted sabotage.

What is Self-Sabotage?

Self-sabotage is when you destroy your own ability to achieve your weight loss goals by working toward your weight loss goal, then retracting from it. Most commonly, your own mind becomes your biggest enemy and your thoughts begin to severely affect your behaviors. For example, when you start your diet, you have a positive attitude, feel motivated, and believe “I can do this.” Over time, something happens and your belief “I can do this” is countermanded by “I can’t do this” or “This is too hard.” Or, your initial thought “I can change is overridden by “I’m unable to change.” It is this ambivalent and harmful attitude toward yourself that causes you to unconsciously do everything in your power to destroy your new healthy lifestyle.

Reasons for Self-Sabotage

Why do you work so hard to diet, lose weight, and get healthy only to destroy your own efforts? It would seem foolish that after eating healthfully and balanced for a significant period of time you would binge on a dessert or a fattening meal. Even as you are consuming the unhealthy food, you know you should not be eating it, but you just cannot stop.

There are several reasons why self-sabotage tends to linger in our lives. Most often, it is due to a lack of self-esteem, self-confidence, self-worth, and/or self-belief. Negative thoughts about yourself and your ability to lose weight can undermine your weight loss efforts. The messages you give yourself through your conscious or unconscious self-talk have a powerful ability to affect your feelings, behaviors, and results.

You can also suffer from self-sabotaging behavior because you are unable to effectively manage your emotions. This is otherwise known as emotional eating. For example, you rely on food to cope with stress, anger, sadness, boredom, loneliness, and/or any other negative emotion. Interestingly, emotional eating is also triggered by positive emotions. This occurs when you eat in response to feeling happy and/or excited. For some, self-sabotage becomes the go to technique for coping with challenging situations, the hassles of daily life, major life events, or unrealistic expectations of ourselves, which we subconsciously feel we are incapable of reaching. Nevertheless, whatever emotions drive you to eat, the outcome is the same…your feelings return, and you likely bear the additional burden of guilt regarding sabotaging your weight-loss.

Another reason for self-sabotage may be because you have a (conscious or unconscious) fear of being deprived. I hear this all of the time from patients. For example, you are hosting a birthday celebration and serving ice cream and cake. You really want to stick to your meal plan, but watching everyone else eat the goodies makes you feel left out and deprived. So, what do you do? Sabotage! You either indulge with your guests, or wait for them to leave and sneak into the kitchen and binge on the cake and/or ice cream.

Additionally, fearing failure may cause you to self-sabotage. This usually occurs because you see failure “the worst thing in the world” or as evidence of how inadequate you (subconsciously) believe you are.

Regardless of your reasons for self-sabotage, if you do not stop it, you will continue living a life full of disappointments, regrets, and unfulfilled expectations.

9 Signs you are Self-Sabotaging

Negative thinker – Focusing only on the negative and ignoring the positive (ex. I lost 3 pound BUT I still have 25 to go.)

Focusing on the past – doom and gloom (self-defeating behaviors) (ex. “I have never been able to lose weight and keep it off, so I won’t be able to do it this time.”)

The Chicken Little syndrome – the sky is falling! (ex. “I have so much weight to lose, I’m never going to be able to do it.”)

The Excuse Factory – Making excuses for not eating healthy or exercising (ex. “I’m too tired, busy, or stressed out.” It’s too hard!” “It is my birthday, so I must have cake.” “My aunt made it, so I have to eat it.” “I have a slow metabolism, I’ll never lose weight.”)

“It’s just as easy to get addicted to a good habit as it is a bad one. Your future self will thank you.”- Dr. Suzanne Bentz D.O., Owner & Medical Director of Red Mountain Weight Loss®

Are you tired of yo-yo dieting? How many times have you lost weight, only to gain it back and then some! How many of you have closets full of clothes in different sizes labeled “fat clothes” and/or “skinny clothes?” Wouldn’t you love to lose the weight and keep it off once and for all? Wouldn’t it be nice to get rid of your “fat clothes” and have faith you can maintain your weight long-term?

I know what you may be thinking: “Each time I’ve lost weight, I gained it back and even more!” This time is going to be different! Do not let feelings of past diet failures discourage you from taking the first step toward creating a new and healthier you. Trade your excuses and food addictions for the good habits of a healthy lifestyle. You can do it, and we are here to help!

Creating a healthy lifestyle does not mean you have to begin with large, dramatic, unrealistic changes. In fact, making small changes and incorporating them into your life slowly and gradually will increase the likelihood you will maintain the change.

Here are 9 steps that can help you create lasting, positive lifestyle and behavior changes so that you can lose weight, keep it off, and get addicted to the good habits of a healthy lifestyle:

Step 1: Take ownership

If you want to make lasting lifestyle changes, you need to take ownership for your current behavior. No matter what excuses you made in the past or continue to make, or what has been a previous obstacle (i.e., emotional eating, late night snacking, depression, illness, fatigue, lack of time, social events, family, work, travel, or sugar addiction, etc.), you still have the power right now to make healthier lifestyle choices. If you want to lose weight and keep it off long term, you must accept and take ownership that what you have been doing in the past is not effective, so you must take responsibility and make a permanent change.

In their book, Keeping it off, Robert Colvin and Susan Olson describe their interviews with people who successfully lost weight AND kept it off. When asked about the secret of their success, virtually all of the participants narrowed it down to one word: ownership. They had to stop making excuses and start taking personal responsibility for their own behavior. Similarly, according to the National Weight Control Registry, most dieters tried to lose weight at least five times before achieving success. Why were they successful the 5th time? Finally realizing that it was up to them to change their behavior once and for all.

So, in order to begin to take personal responsibility and ownership for your behavior, pay close attention to the way you speak. Do you make excuses? Do you blame others for your inability to lose weight and/or keep it off? Making excuses lets you off the hook of personal responsibility. For instance, do you accept guidance from your Red Mountain Weight Loss providers, or do you often answer, “Yes, but…”? For example, do you say things like, “Yes, but my family eats out several times a week, and I can not find the foods I need on the menu”? Or “Yes, but I have to travel for work.” Or “Yes, but I am too busy.”

Also become aware if you engage in wishful thinking, often-saying things like, “If only…” For example, “If only my colleagues would stop celebrating everyone’s birthday with ice cream and cake, I could stick to my diet” or “If only it wasn’t so hot out, I would exercise.”

If you catch yourself using phrases such as “if only” or “yes, but,” think about how your words shape your behavior. Challenge yourself to discover solutions to your excuses and magical thinking habits. I encourage you to use the words “I choose to….” instead. It is time to take ownership!

Some examples include:

· I choose to exercise

· I choose to make healthier food choices

· I choose to drink 8-10 glasses of water per day

· I choose to follow my meal plan

· I choose healthier food options when eating out

Step 2: Change your Mind-Set

In order to succeed long term you have to believe you can do it. Again, do not let feelings of past diet failures discourage you from believing you are capable of success.

Your mindset includes all of your attitudes and values you hold about creating a healthy lifestyle. If you are struggling to manage your weight, your attitude and beliefs may be to blame. Do you want to lose weight, exercise, and get addicted to the good habits of a healthy lifestyle, but believe “it is just too hard?” Do you hold the belief you will always gain back the weight you lose? If so, your behaviors will follow the same lines as your thoughts. In fact, research demonstrates your thoughts directly affect your behavior. So, start believing you can sustain a positive focus on weight management despite your past failures. Recite the phrases, “I am capable of losing weight and keeping it off” and/or “I am becoming addicted to the good habits of a healthy lifestyle.” You will know you have a positive mind-set when you expect success, feel motivated, and adopt healthier lifestyle choices.

I promise, if you practice having a positive mind-set, it will become your secret weapon to losing weight and keeping it off permanently!

Step 3: Develop Realistic Goals

When it comes to setting weight loss and weight management goals, most people are overly ambitious and create unrealistic and unattainable goals, which sets them up for failure. For instance, some people want to obtain their wedding day, college, or even high school weights. Others develop lofty goals to include looking like a model or their favorite celebrity. Creating unrealistic and unachievable goals is a setup for disappointment and failure. Talk with your Red Mountain Weight Loss provider to create a healthy, realistic and achievable goal, one that you can realistically maintain. Remember you are on a journey to improve your health and life, as well as gain control over your weight. My motto is progress, not perfection.

Step 4: Make it a Habit

Once you have lost the weight, then it is time to maintain it. You are no longer on a diet; you are now becoming addicted to the good habits of a healthy lifestyle.

The word “diet” implies a temporary change. Here at Red Mountain Weight Loss, we want to help you make a lifestyle change. In other words, we want to help you make a permanent change in your relationship with food, eating, and physical activity.

In terms of creating new healthier habits, ask yourself, “What new healthy lifestyle changes would I like to create and/or continue? What was effective in helping me to lose the weight? Did I increase exercise? Drink more water? Make healthier food choices? Have healthier sleep hygiene? Also reflect on what worked. Just like your weight loss goals, make sure your new healthy habits are realistic and sustainable.

The key to long-term success is to create habits that you can incorporate into your life slowly and gradually. The more you practice them, the more automatic they become. In order to be successful with maintaining your weight long term, you must get addicted to the good habits of a healthy lifestyle!

Step 5: Go Slow

I often recommend changing one behavior at a time. Unhealthy behaviors develop over time, so replacing unhealthy behaviors with new healthier ones requires time, patience, and commitment. Many people struggle with behavior change when they attempt to change too much too fast. Your journey to a new healthier lifestyle is not a sprint; it is a life long marathon. Therefore, you will need to pace yourself. To improve your success, focus on one goal or change at a time. As new healthy behaviors become habitual, add additional realistic goals, one at a time that are consistent with the overall change for which you are striving. Remember, slow and steady wins the race!

Step 6: Get Support

Getting the right information and support from people who care about you and want to see you succeed improves your resilience and strengthens your commitment.

If you feel overwhelmed or unable to succeed on your own, consider obtaining help from a qualified professional. All of us at Red Mountain Weight Loss want to help you succeed and create a healthy permanent lifestyle change. Please let us know how we can help you!

Step 7: Get Back on the Wagon

Making the changes that you want is possible, but it takes time, patience, and commitment. Just remember that change is not perfect and you will have occasional lapses and “fall off the wagon.” However, this time, instead of beating yourself up for having a lapse, practice being kind. When you eat ice cream or miss a workout, don’t go down a shame spiral and give up. Tell yourself “it’s ok. I can choose to get right back on track.” Minor slip-ups on the journey to lasting change are typical and acceptable. In fact, missteps are the perfect opportunity to learn about and refine yourself. Ask yourself the questions, “What could I have done differently?’ and/or “What could I choose to do differently next time?” Then, immediately choose to get right back on the wagon!

Step 8: Reward Yourself

With each small successful step you take toward adopting a new healthy lifestyle, reward yourself with NON-food related things. When you celebrate your behavior change with non-food related rewards, you are acknowledging your achievement, encouraging yourself to continue, and developing self-confidence. Self-confidence is vital to making permanent change, as it will give you the courage and determination to keep progressing.

Step 9: Never Give Up!

You can achieve lasting weight loss! Now is the time to follow these steps to creating lasting, positive lifestyle and behavior changes so that you can lose weight, keep it off, and get addicted to the good habits of a healthy lifestyle. Lasting change is not easy, but it is possible. I believe you can do it!

*Individual results may vary. Seek medical advice before starting any service including a weight loss program or med spa treatment. Contact us to make sure this is the right solution for you.

Food Zombie (noun): The danger zone; turn back now! Your state of being while eating something so good (or long-anticipated) that one loose all awareness and slips into a food trance.

“Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention. That steak made me a food zombie.”

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Have you ever found yourself mindlessly munching on popcorn at the movies or in front of the television and then, eventually, your hand reaches the bottom of the bag only to find that the popcorn is all gone; Or, you buy a pizza and think “I am only going to have one slice;” however, you go into the food trance and then realize the entire pizza is almost gone and you don’t remember eating it all; Or when you plan to just grab “a handful” of chips while you work on the computer only to discover you consumed the entire bag.

Beware: You have entered the danger zone, otherwise known as “the food trance.”

If you are like most people in our society, you eat meal after meal, snack after snack, barely aware of what you are eating and how much you are consuming. Now, if you ate mindlessly only once in a while, it may not be such a problem. However, it becomes a destructive habit when you are in a food trance most of the time. As you probably know, over time, this unskilled way of eating can result in unhappiness with food and how your body responds to it. It can also lead to chronic dieting and significant weight gain and obesity.

Waking up from the food trance can help you discover a far more satisfying relationship to food and eating than you ever imagined or experienced before. Below are my 5 S’, which are effective tips to help you wake up from the food trance once and for all.

The 5 S’s for Waking up from the Food Trance

1. STOP participating in other activities while you are eating. This means, no screen time (i.e. television, movie theater, computer, smartphone/tablet, etc.) while you are eating. Eating while watching “the screen” is one of the quickest ways to consume excess calories, as it takes your focus away from the smell and taste of the food. Consequently, you feel less satisfied, which causes you to eat more.

2. SIT DOWN

Sit down and only eat at a table instead of standing, walking around, or driving. If this seems like an outrageously simple suggestion, think about the number of times when you eat on the go…driving in your car on your way to work or school, walking around the kitchen, or even pacing your office. Make it a rule to only put food in your mouth if you are sitting down at a table. This will help you focus on what you are eating and prevent you from entering the food trance.

3. SLOW DOWN

Slowing down when eating is a great first step to breaking the food trance. By slowing down, we can fully experience our food and become aware of our hunger and satiety. There are many tricks you can use to slow down while eating. My favorite is eating with your non-dominant hand. You can also try eating with chopsticks. This will force you to take smaller bites and eat slower. You can also try putting down your fork in between each bite.

4. SAVOR

Try counting how many times you chew a bite. Try chewing 15-20 times before swallowing. Taking the time to savor and enjoy your food will help you to stay present, notice when you are satisfied, and keep you from falling into the trance. Make it a true sensory experience. Savor the aroma, appreciate the color and texture.

5. SERVING SIZE

To avoid the food trance, never eat from an open box, bag, or jar. Instead, measure out a serving size and transfer it to a bowl or plate. This will help you from eating the entire box or bag. Eat only what you have portioned out, and do not take seconds. You can also buy single-serving-size snacks.

*Individual results may vary. Seek medical advice before starting any service including a weight loss program or med spa treatment. Contact us to make sure this is the right solution for you.